WILTON — Cannondale are to close their historic headquarters in Wilton, Connecticut by mid-2027 and relocate their global headquarters to Europe, with layoffs expected as part of a major restructuring by owners Pon.Bike. The American brand, founded in Connecticut in 1971, announced the move on Wednesday, confirming the Wilton site will shut as operations shift to Woudenberg in the Netherlands.
Under the plans, Cannondale will adopt a new sales model in North America over the next six months, with a new satellite office opening on the West Coast to handle retail and owner support. The brand said: "A dedicated commercial, retailer and rider support team will be based there, providing Cannondale expertise and services to retailers and riders across North America." Global leadership, Brand & Marketing and Product Management will be centred in Woudenberg, currently the European base, while research and development and engineering will be based in Freiburg, Germany. Pon.Bike, which also owns Cervélo and Santa Cruz and is based in Amsterdam, is overseeing the reorganisation, with reporting by Escape Collective suggesting as many as 143 roles in Wilton and remote positions — ranging from engineering to vice presidents — could be affected.
A spokesperson for the brand said: "As part of these broader organisational changes, global functions currently based in Wilton will transition to join existing teams in Europe over a period extending into 2027. Woudenberg will serve as Cannondale’s global headquarters, bringing together global leadership, Brand & Marketing, Product Management, and other central functions. We are actively working through what these transition plans mean for individual roles and responsibilities at the Wilton office." A source close to the US staff told Cycling Weekly: "This is an incredibly sad day for all the people impacted by this decision, and this draws a line under the Cannondale that we knew and loved," adding: "It'll be a third wheel brand in the sales toolbox of the PON USA sales team from here, as Santa Cruz and Cervelo will no doubt be the main focus."
Cannondale was founded in 1971 by Joe Montgomery, Murdoch MacGregor and Ron Davis and has become known for iconic models including the ST-500, Six13, SuperSix Evo, SystemSix, CAAD, SM-500 and Scalpel mountain bike, Topstone and SuperX gravel bike, alongside a series of technical innovations. Paying tribute to its Connecticut roots, the brand said on Wednesday: "For more than five decades, Connecticut has been instrumental in shaping Cannondale into one of cycling’s most influential brands. Cannondale is deeply grateful to the team members whose passion, creativity, and commitment built this incredible foundation. The innovative spirit they fostered remains a core part of Cannondale’s DNA as the brand proudly carries its legacy into this next chapter of growth and rider-focused innovation."